Wayra UK brings world-class start-ups and scale-ups to Telefónica globally and VMO2 locally with the aim of finding new sources of revenue and innovation. We work with Telefonica and VMO2 to scale start-ups and scale-ups by supporting them in business development with VMO2, Telefonica and other corporate partners. We offer our portfolio companies access to the world’s largest network of innovation hubs.

MAIN DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Coordinate, design, and delivery of acceleration programmes:

o Line manage a team of Venture Development Managers and ensure excellent delivery and implementation of ongoing acceleration programmes within scope and budget

o Maintain the Wayra acceleration tech stack and playbooks up to date and relevant

o Develop a sustainability model for 5prinG, the 5G open innovation programme run in partnership with VMO2, Digital Catapult and Deloitte

• Implement and manage the new Wayra partnership business model:

o Implement Wayra’s new partnership model in collaboration with the Scouting and VC Ecosystem team; the design project is ongoing and due to finalise in Q3 2021

• Develop, manage partnerships and leverage our community:

o Maintain and develop excellent partnership relationships with all external stakeholders and represent the Wayra brand to the highest standard to drive deal flow and partnership value to hit our annual partnership KPIs (key performance indicators)

o Line manage a relationship manager who can support the acquisition of new corporate partners (role to be filled)

o Leverage the Wayra community (mentors, coaches, investors, alumni, etc.) to deliver the best possible programmes to the start-ups

• Contribute to Wayra’s development

o Recruit and develop a professional team of Venture Development Managers who support founders and work together with all Wayra teams to achieve Wayra’s objectives and goals

o Share best practices and promote collaboration within and between the teams

WHAT YOU´LL BE DOING 

Coordinate, design, and delivery of all our programmes

• Create and execute an acceleration programme and assuring the coordination and standards of quality of all the programmes with partners across the UK in line with the organisation’s Mission, Values and the promotional Brand identified.

• Design of the "best-of-class" acceleration strategy, plan and programme that would go beyond replicating what Wayra competitors are doing to actively think about how to create a differentiated programme with the best content, mentors, and service providers

• Line manage the Venture Development Managers/Programme Managers in all Wayra’s programmes

• Ensure activities follow our best practices, are delivered according to the plan, and capture and address the needs of Telefonica and programme partners

• Ensure coordination between the programmes, especially around calendar to avoid overlaps

• Liaise with the Scouting and VC Ecosystem team and FIT team to leverage the programmes by introducing the start-ups to VCs and Telefonica.

• Liaise with the other members of the Wayra team (local and global) to find synergies and promote collaboration between the start-ups and programmes

• Ensure probity and accountability, monitor financial tracking systems to make sure programmes stay within budget.

• Work across and coordinate with multiple Wayra teams; events, comms, investment, partnerships, and open innovation to ensure excellent programme delivery.

• Support the scouting activities of the Venture Development team

Develop and manage partnerships and leverage our community

• Ensure and maintain excellent partnership relationships with all stakeholders and represent the Wayra brand to the highest standard to drive deal flow and partnership value to hit our annual KPIs.

• Maintain operational oversight of accountability; monitoring and support of day to day Partner relationships managed by the Venture Development Managers

• Develop new partnerships, prepare proposals, and negotiate contracts and commercial conditions

• Develop and track quality, operational execution, and partner success metrics/KPIs.

• Develop strategy around use of mentors/coaches/investors in residence and wider Wayra community to benefit our start-ups

• Attend ecosystem events maintaining an open dialogue with other programmes in the relevant region

• Embed relationships with key research universities and top universities that nurture entrepreneur talent and deal flow for promising start-ups

• Further consolidate external ecosystem partnerships (higher education and research /innovation centres) which are the best generators of patents or new concepts/ ideas.

Contribute to Wayra’s development

• Share new best practices with the Wayra's team globally as you identify areas for innovation and improvement.

• Help to manage and build up a “team” within Wayra UK team members, coordinating, collaborating, engaging, and liaising with all Wayra members to create a community, working together to achieve Wayra’s objectives and goals in lien with the organisation’s Mission, Values and Brand.

• Help in creating and promoting a brand for Wayra that would serve to attract these start-ups and is considered a thought-leader in this space

NATURE OF PROBLEMS & CHALLENGES

• Open innovation services direct sales

• Open innovation products/services development

• Partnership and stakeholder management

• Start-up and scale-up scouting

• Team management

EDUCATION REQUIRED

University Degree

SPECIFIC SKILLS

• You are familiar with and passionate about the global and local start-up and investment ecosystem

• You have an excellent network of contacts in the local start-up and investment community

• [Ideally] you have been an entrepreneur and have raised funds before

• Excellent stakeholder management and collaboration skills, able to work with senior stakeholders from internal business units and external stakeholders.

• Programme and project management and ability to drive innovation events and campaigns on time, within budget.

• Excellent communication skills ability to present to large audience and host events, develop written external communication and presentations.

• Strong commercial awareness with understanding of financial principles and using new business models.

• Accomplished ability to lead an external community and communicate through all possible digital means.

• Good understanding of the mind-sets and mode of operations of start-ups and the innovation process in a large organisation.

• Ease with business skills.

• Strong leadership and team managing skills.

• Ability to multitask, attention to detail without forgetting the big picture view

• People-oriented, collaborative, creative, supportive and with a great sense of humour

TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE

• Project management

• Basic Knowledge Data Management

• Research Skills

• Financial Management knowledge a plus (to understand startups and where they are in the fundraise process, red flags in their development)

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Open Innovation roles

• Partnerships Role

LANGUAGES

Proficient in English

If you join Telefónica

You join almost 100 years of history, you join a team of 106 nationalities present in more tan 35 countries. You join a team that works to connect people wherever they are. We are leading the digital revolution with the enthusiasm of the first day in all our businesses, creating the best digital ecosystem for our clients: network, IoT, cloud, security, innovation etc. Here, at Telefónica you count with everything you need to be the best you. We need people like you that wants to take this challenge of creating the Telefónica of tomorrow.

Telefonica is committed to the new working ways. Under our proposition “Disconnect to Reconnect” we have applied the Digital Disconnection.

#WeAreInclusive

We strongly believe diverse and inclusive teams become more innovative and they achieve improved results. Telefonica aims to promote and guarantee a place for everyone, just the way we are: gender, age range, sexual orientation and/or identity, culture, creed, disability or any other personal condition